The Role of Minerals in Cultural and Geological Heritage, Volume II

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystallography and Physical Chemistry of Minerals & Nanominerals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 24 May 2024 | Viewed by 1673

Special Issue Editors

HERCULES Laboratory, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research, Universidade de Évora, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000-809 Évora, Portugal
Interests: cultural heritage; conservation sciences; ceramic; glass, glazes; mineralogy; historical material research; biodeterioration; deterioration processes; conservation-restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
CENIMAT/i3N, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Interests: cultural heritage; archaeometallurgy; mineralogy; geological heritage; ancient mining; bronze and tin; conservation sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The first Special Issue dedicated to the role of minerals in cultural and geological heritage proved itself a success, encouraging us to launch a second volume under this theme.

We continue to study minerals, raw materials which are essential for the development of societies, in terms of their specific role in cultural heritage, either through their application or existence in tangible heritage such as monuments, buildings, works of art, historical artefacts, and objects of cultural value, as well as in the natural heritage generated by geological, mining, and industrial structures that are sources of these raw materials.

The Council of Europe’s definition of cultural heritage, as a resource inherited from the past which humanity identifies as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving values, beliefs, knowledge, and traditions, thus gains special significance and expression when considering the fundamental role of minerals in the comprehension of properties and behaviour of this heritage.

This Special Issue intends to continue to bridge heritage and mineral sciences, and we encourage all experts working in related areas to submit their contributions. Topics of special interest include (but are not limited to) glasses, ceramics, metals, stone/rocks and mortars, their properties, behaviour, ageing, and degradation; historical mining and mining heritage, geoarchaeology, geoheritage and industrial heritage related to mining; historical technological processes, archaeometry, dating, and authenticity; characterization techniques, new materials and methodologies, conservation, best practices, and case studies; minerals related to mining activity, rock weathering, soils, valorisation of the cultural landscape, geo-tourism in historical mining sites and geological sites; monitoring and remote sensing, modelling and theoretical approaches, data management, risk assessment, soil contamination/remediation, acid mine drainage, ecological solutions, maintenance, and sustainability; as well as climate impact and social impact.

We look forward to your submissions!

Dr. João Pedro Veiga
Dr. Mathilda Larsson Coutinho
Dr. Elin Figueiredo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • glasses, ceramics and metals in cultural heritage
  • stone/rocks and mortars in built heritage
  • minerals and mineralogical phases
  • minerals related to mining sites
  • geological sites
  • non-destructive methodologies
  • large-scale facilities (synchrotron, neutron, and ion beam)
  • authenticity and dating
  • effects of climate changes
  • modelling and theoretical approaches
  • remote sensing and risk management
  • maintenance and sustainability
  • social impact and cultural tourism

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 8175 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Tableware from Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém—Linking Analytical and Documental Research
by Mathilda L. Coutinho, João Pedro Veiga, Andreia Ruivo, Teresa Pereira da Silva, Silvia Bottura-Scardina, Maria Margarida R. A. Lima, Carlos Pereira, Ana Carvalho Dias, Luis Dias, Peter Vandenabeele and José C. Roseiro
Minerals 2024, 14(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14030324 - 21 Mar 2024
Viewed by 365
Abstract
Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém (ca. 1858–1994) was among the first to produce white earthenware in Portugal, becoming one of the country’s leading ceramic manufacturers during the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Research on white earthenware has accompanied the growing interest in [...] Read more.
Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém (ca. 1858–1994) was among the first to produce white earthenware in Portugal, becoming one of the country’s leading ceramic manufacturers during the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Research on white earthenware has accompanied the growing interest in post-industrial archaeology but is still poorly explored compared to more ancient ceramic productions. This study focused on the ceramic body, glazes, and colourants of tableware produced by Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém during the first 50 years of its activity (1859–1910). A multi-analytical approach was selected to investigate the chemical and mineralogical composition of the ceramic body, glaze, and pigments using optical microscopy, variable-pressure scanning electron microscope energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (VP-SEM-EDS), μ-Raman spectroscopy, μ-X-ray Diffraction (μ-XRD), and reflectance spectroscopy (hyperspectral image analysis). The studied tableware was produced with a Ca-poor siliceous–aluminous white earthenware ceramic body covered with transparent alkali lead or lead borosilicate glaze, and most colourants were complex Cr-based pigments. These results are in agreement with the little documental evidence from this period found in the manufacturer’s archives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Minerals in Cultural and Geological Heritage, Volume II)
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 8126 KiB  
Article
Unlocking the Secondary Critical Raw Material Potential of Historical Mine Sites, Lousal Mine, Southern Portugal
by Daniel P. S. de Oliveira, Pedro Gonçalves, Igor Morais, Teresa P. Silva, João X. Matos, Luís Albardeiro, Augusto Filipe, Maria João Batista, Sara Santos and João Fernandes
Minerals 2024, 14(2), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14020127 - 24 Jan 2024
Viewed by 815
Abstract
A steady supply of mineral raw materials is vital for the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. The number of active mines in Europe has severely declined over the last century and half, giving rise to many abandoned mining waste sites and corresponding [...] Read more.
A steady supply of mineral raw materials is vital for the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. The number of active mines in Europe has severely declined over the last century and half, giving rise to many abandoned mining waste sites and corresponding geological heritage. Also, the rise in minerals demand for large-scale deployment of renewable energy requires the continued and steady availability of key minerals. The supply risk associated with unpredicted geopolitical events needs to be eliminated/mitigated. Historical mine waste sites are the answer but evaluating mine waste is a lengthy and costly exercise. The study, undertaken in the Lousal Mine, used small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) to model and determine mine waste volumes by generating orthomosaic maps with quick, inexpensive, and reliable results. Calculated mine waste volumes between 308,478 m3 and 322,455 m3 were obtained. XRD and p-XRF techniques determined the mineralogy and chemistry of waste, which varied from mineralization and host rocks with hydrothermal alteration and numerous neogenic sulphates (mostly gypsum, rhomboclase, ferricopiapite, coquimbite, and jarosite) related with supergene processes and weathering. The study shows the viability of using these sUASs to successfully model historical mine waste sites in an initial phase and for future monitoring programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Minerals in Cultural and Geological Heritage, Volume II)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop